Many Faces of a Single Cuboctahedron: Group 10 Metal-rich Ternary Compounds based on the AuCu3 Structure Type (Review)

Abstract

This review has a goal of highlighting fairly unusual type of inorganic compounds, Group 10 metal-rich linear intergrowth structures based on the AuCu₃-type intermetallic fragments. We show how rich structural chemistry arises from different combinations of the same building blocks. The similarities and differences in the structures formed by different Group 10 metals are discussed. We also discuss key features of electronic structure and bonding in the title compounds and their parent intermetallics, based on the DFT calculations and direct-space chemical bonding analysis, as well as structure-property relationships. Structural relationships to other ternary compounds of Group 10 are also indicated.